Mo’o and Koholā by Lori Abreu
Mo`o and Koholā: A Childrenʻs Book full of Aloha and Purpose! Aloha Lahaina!
We are excited to feature this book at Uncle Benny’s Kanikapila with special guest Kala`e Camarillo on June 26th! You will be able to purchase the book at the show and access the book’s additional offerings on the website!
Lori Abreu, born and raised on Maui, is passionate about serving the children and families of her island home. It was the outpouring of aloha and compassion she witnessed working alongside volunteers in our Maui community in the wake of the devastating wildfires that motivated her to realize her long-time dream of publishing her first children’s book, Mo`o and Koholā, which was introduced to our Maui community in January 2024.
Lori especially thanks Larry, a warm, displaced Lahaina gentleman she befriended while volunteering at the Wailuku War Memorial Shelter, for sharing his adventure on a boat out of Lahaina harbor. His recount of experiences with humpback whales approaching his boat inspired her to revisit her own whale tale which she had told many keiki throughout her 37-year career in early childhood education on Maui. Lori has modified her original story to highlight the strength and resilience of our Maui community in light of our recent tragedy. With your purchase of Mo’o and Koholā, you will be contributing to that strength, as proceeds from the sales of this story will be donated to the ongoing rebuild of Lahaina. To date, Lori has made donations supporting the Lahaina community and its children through The Hawaii Community Foundation and Lahaina schools.
Her complete project is full of Lahaina and local flavor. Its pages highlight Lahaina Harbor, Front Street, Lahainaʻs Banyan Tree, and more. Mo`o and Koholā comes with three original songs and a website of resources for families and teachers. Lori is extremely thankful to her enthusiastic, talented team which helped bring her project to life. She feels blessed to have worked with Nicki Barsamian who beautifully illustrated her story and helped guide her through the self-publication process. The musicality of Kala`e Camarillo who performed her songs and made them so special was surely a treat for the music lover she is!
Visit Loriʻs website at www.kumulori.com for more information on this project and a purchasing link.
Overview of this extraordinary story:
Mo`o and Koholā develop a loving friendship out of Lahaina harbor and teach us how friends can be different, compassionate, and share aloha. Their ocean emergencies help us explore fear, trust, bravery, and appreciation. Our characters teach us about Hawaiian values as they problem-solve and overcome challenges with one another and their larger community. Children learn fun whale facts, culminating with joyous songs and dances via Lori Abreuʻs website: www.kumulori.com.
Lori hopes that this story, appropriate for ages 4-8, and its extensions can be a tool for keiki, their ‘ohana, and teachers to talk about the importance of helping one another in times of need. Since itʻs debut to our Maui community in January, Lori has shared book and song presentations with 14 of our 16 DOE schools, some community groups, the shelter, and preschools. Three DOE schools chose to use her original song, “Aloha Lahaina”, for their end-of-the-school-year programs and this special book has also reached sales on Oahu.
